


Little Arrow

by thebeastinsideusall



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bastard Child, Clint doesn't have a hidden family, Clint's a dad, Fluff, Original Female Character - Freeform, Shocking reveal-not really, Woman from his past, before shield, clint's circus days
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2018-10-24 17:04:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10746066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebeastinsideusall/pseuds/thebeastinsideusall
Summary: He never gets mail. Never.Some things aren't meant to be known.Sometimes there's no other choice but to tell the ones kept in the dark for so long.





	1. Chapter 1

Little arrow 

Rarely did Clint get mail. Actually no, take that back. He never got mail. Living the life of a spy meant coded messages on bunked email accounts. Personal agents coming to give him orders. Texts on secured lines. 

Not a thick manilla envelope set in front of him by Pepper as she handed out the daily mail. He gave her a quizzical look as he took the envelope. It was near bursting with whatever was inside. The tape over the opening trying its best to keep itself together. 

It was stamped from North Dakota and the address for the tower was written in clean looping scrawl. He wonders... 

"Tony can you scan this?" He stands and offers the package, heavy in his palm with the weight of whatever was inside. 

Tony had Jarvis scan over the pack, and found nothing inside but paperwork and a ring. "Anything we should be concerned about?"

Clint shrugged but then shook his head, deciding to open this strange package in privacy. Steve and Sam giving him slightly concerned looks but focused back on the load of fan mail Steve receives every week. Natasha watches from the window, eyes barely narrowing.


	2. Chapter 2

2

It's been hours since anyone saw the archer. And normally that didn't bother anyone but he missed dinner. It was taco night. 

Nat gently rapped on the door of Clint's suite with her knuckles. And it took her honed hearing to barely hear Clint's soft reply to come in. 

Opening the door she found Clint slumped in the middle of his couch. Car, sports and circus magazines littered the coffee table in front of him. Her eyebrows rose slightly at the half empty bottle of bourbon and the empty tumbler sitting there as well. Clint didn't take to drinking very often.

She didn't say anything at first, instead settled by his side. Clint didn't respond for the longest time. Didn't move , just blinked at the papers in his hands, half rumpled in his fists. 

Natasha didn't mean to pry, but her eyes glanced at the papers. Eyes widening at the sight of a birth certificate peeking from the side. Medical records and thick packets of handwritten letters.

"I didn't know..." Clint's head rose and Natasha met bloodshot eyes from her closest friend. "I didn't know about her..." A deep unsettling sadness in his voice.

His hands went limp. The papers falling to the floor at his feet while he drops his face to his hands with a shuddering moan. 

Natasha rubbed at his back soothingly. Eyes cast downwards to a picture of a toothy grinned teenager. Bright eyes and long blonde hair. Her colorful circus outfit glittered and shone in the sunlight as she stood atop a white horse. Held in her hands a bow, the arrow set aflame. 

She closed her eyes and cursed inside her head as Clint broke down in her arms.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Clint,

It feels like a lifetime since I've spoken that name. It feels like a million years since I've seen your face. 

I know you had to leave. Wether it was for personal reasons or because of Barney, I don't know. I don't wish to know. What I do know, and what I want you to know, is that I never was angry that you did. 

There were times where yes, I was angry and hurt, for a moment or two. But then I'd look around this place, and realize you made the best choice for yourself. And that didn't include me. And I'm okay with that. 

I wish I could have told you, but I didn't find out till months later. When I couldn't fit into that ghastly jumpsuit anymore. I was pregnant. 

Clint I was so scared. Scared because you'd done gone and I had no clue to contact you. Scared because I was barely 22 and you'd been the only man I've ever slept with. Scared because I was going to be yet another mother raising her child in this life. 

I want to say I'm sorry. But really, I don't know what to say. I never meant for you to ever find out. I figured you'd found a good life working and doing what you're good at. I thought you'd be happy not knowing. Not having this hanging over your head. 

But Clint. I'm dying. By the time you read this I'll be long gone. Buried in a cheap gravesite that the entire troupe will try to pay for with money they don't have. I'm sick, too sick to perform for a long time now. And now as I write this, I can barely keep my hand steady. 

Her name is Alexa. And Clint, she is everything I wished I could have been as a child. She is smart, she speaks fluent Russian and Chinese. She's an acrobatics dream, flexible and strong, lithe. She's intelligent beyond my wildest dreams.

Clint she's beautiful. She has your hair and eyes, that sharp nose. Barney used to say she looks just like you when you were a kid. And she's kind, she loves her trick horse Harlow, and all the other animals in the show. 

She wanted to learn to shoot a bow. Much to my obvious hurt, but she took it up easily and excelled. Barney could barely keep up with her, before he got hurt a few years back and his hand was crushed. 

I'm telling you these things because I need you to understand. I want her to be normal. I want her to go to a real school, have friends that last more then however long the troop is staying in one place. 

I want her to live in something better than a tiny trailer with her mother. I want her to see the world and not be succumbed to back roads and tents as the only things she ever sees. 

I'm sorry. I can't say anything else because I don't know what to say. 

Just please Clint. She's yours, of that there's no doubt. Please take care of her. 

 

Always yours my archer,

Fiona the fearless


	4. Chapter 4

4

"What do you want to do?" 

It's a simple question. But the answer isn't that way, far from it. 

"What do you want to do?"

What should he do? He doesn't have the faintest idea. Not even an inkling. 

He's sitting at the dinner table in his apartment. Natasha, Steve, everyone surrounding him in support. 

Asking him. 

"What do you want to do?"

He doesn't know. He does not know what to do. What to do with this information and life changing impact this would have. Not only to his life but his... His daughter’s. 

"Fuck." His head is in his hands as he thumped his forehead onto the wood table. Nat's hands on his biceps as he tries to come to terms with what was going on. 

"We'll figure this out Hawky." Tony says, clapping a comforting hand on Clint's back as he passes. Off to do background checks and whatever else on the woman Clint kept secret even from Natasha. It's not needed but Tony needs time to process this as much as Clint does. Another teenager... Weren't the twins enough?

Natasha sits to his right, hands gripping tight as if to hold Clint together. He lifts his head, stares at the picture of his daughter. 

The glittering outfit, the bright eye, smile toothy and wide, happy. She looked to bright to be his. Shining like a star she no doubt was, judging by the roar of the crowd around her, the flashes of cameras and the sunlight pouring down on her. 

"Fuck."

Steve reaches out, clasps a strong hand on Clint's shoulder and squeezes in silent comfort and strength. Hands Clint the copy of the flight times and airport she's going to be at. 

"Want me to go with you?" Natasha asks and Clint nods. Too distraught and honestly too scared to go by himself.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Late afternoon on a Tuesday, early spring. The airport wasn't too crowded. Business trips and vacationers mostly. The hum of constant chatter and cellphones is rumbling around them. 

Natasha has the hood up on her jacket, sunglasses in place while Clint barely remembered to grab a baseball cap. He didn't exactly need it. He wasn't nearly as well known, not even after the alien invasion and Ultron. Yet old habits don't seem to die. 

They're waiting by the luggage pick up. Just ten meters from the exit ramp of the cheap airline she was supposed to be on. 

Clint wonders if it's her first plane ride. Was she scared? He doesn't know. He didn't know anything about her. 

The passengers slow and finally he sees her come from the hallway. A duffle thrown over her shoulder. Long hair pulled into a low ponytail over a flannel shirt and tank top. Faded and well worn jeans on her legs over scuffed and battered tennis shoes. 

She looked small standing there with her ragged duffle and wide eyes. Staring at everything around her. Pushed a few times by passengers in too much of a hurry to care they bumped into her. 

"Alexa?" Natasha called softly, waving to the young girl who was curling in on herself from the onslaught of people around her. The newness, the strangeness.

It snapped Clint into action from staring at her. He moved with Nat to Alexa. Standing there awkwardly as Natasha introduced herself and Alexa smiled gently.

"H-hi." She was nervous, they could tell. But then again so was Clint. "I'm Alexa..."

"Hey, I'm Clint." It was simple, the words. They meant so much more. 

Her mom was dead. That much he knew. Barely cold in the grave when she was sent away from the only home she's ever known, to her father she'd never met before. She was a mess.

Because Alexa's eyes brimmed with tears and she suddenly launched herself towards Clint's chest. Sobbing gently into his shirt as his arms awkwardly came down around her shoulders.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Alexa quickly comes back to herself. Apologizing over and over while trying to wipe tears from her face. Stepping away from this practical stranger she threw herself on. 

"It's okay." His smile doesn't reach his eyes but it helps Alexa not feel so horrible for acting like she had. 

"Let's get your bags and head out." Natasha says, smiling warmly at the young teenager. 

"Umm this is all I've got..." She shrugged and gestures to her duffle bag. Her voice rough and low from crying just moments before. 

Clint cast Natasha a look as the red head kept a calm face, but he could see, too long by her side, that she wants happy with how little Alexa had to her name. Natasha had enough maternal instincts to combat five lionesses and three bears. 

"Come on, whole team wants to meet you." Clint took her duffle and placed a hand at the small of her back. Leading her out into the fading sunlight and toward the car they had parked. 

The ride is silent, almost awkward as Natasha drives. Breaking several laws as she does but no one catches her. Clint sat in the passenger seat rubbing a hand over his jaw. Feeling his age after so long of feeling strong and on top of the world. 

His eyes flickered into the side mirror of the car. Catching a glimpse of Alexa's wide eyed open mouthed gape at the city around her. He faintly smiles, maybe showing her the city can jumpstart this extremely delayed relationship.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Again at the tower Natasha and Clint see the wonder on her face at the pristine floors. The clear shining windows and the technology evident just in the foyer of the lobby. 

"Come on kiddo." Clint says softly and Alexa follows without complaint. Holding the strap of her duffle tightly in both hands at her shoulder as she enters the main elevator to the upper levels. 

Jarvis didn't make himself known and for that Clint was grateful. The AI would probably give the poor girl a heart attack at this point, she was so nervous. Standing there clutching to her small bag and eyes darting everywhere. 

Natasha, ever the savior, steps in where Clint is again speechless. "Everyone is waiting to meet you upstairs. The twins were excited someone more their age would be here." Her arm gently coming across Alexa's shoulders.

"Ev-everyone?" Alexa's voice is stronger than earlier at the airport, but it held that innocence to it. That nervousness.

"Mhmmm." Nat smiles at the young girl and gets a half one in return. 

"The... The Avengers wanna meet me?" She sounds so young, Clint gives a soft half smile and nods at her wide eyed face. Trying his best to assure her while he's having his own crisis.

"It's a lot to take in, but they're great." The doors open into a short hallway and they step out. "Think of it like back home okay? A lot of crazies being crazy together. One big family." Clint tries.

He doesn't miss the grief flash across her face, stops and touches Nat's elbow. "Go on ahead and make sure everybody behaves."

"I'll make sure Tony is a gentlemen." She nods, knowing Clint wants to speak with his daughter alone. Once her footsteps are gone into the curve of the hallway Clint takes a soft breath and turns to Alexa. But she's already opening her mouth to speak.

"I know... I know you don't want me but... Once I'm eighteen I'll be out of your hair." She's reaching up to brush some light chestnut blonde hair behind her ear. "You won't have to deal with me much longer than that."

Clint pauses and instantly shakes his head. Smiling down at her nervous face. How could she think that? It's not that he didn't want her. He's always dreamed of kids. But he didn't know about her, not until now. 

"Hey." He reaches over and tucks her chin back up gently so she looks at him and not the floor. "Hey, we'll get this sorted out okay, kiddo?" He takes his hand and takes her smaller one in his to squeeze tightly. "I didn't know about you Alexa. That does not mean, in any way, that I didn't or don't want you."

She nods a bit, giving a squeeze of her own. Free hand wiping at the tears wanting to drop down her cheeks. His heart aches deep in his chest. He's missed so much, doesn't know her. He's gonna figure this out.

"Tell you what, we get through this craziness and then me and you go down to the gym. Show me your routine?" Her eyes light up and she smiles. 

"Sounds great."


	8. Chapter 8

8

He watches her with an unblinking look like his namesake. A hawk staring down something that's found its interest. The subtle way she moves, movements that create perfect balance subconsciously. Smooth steps and nervous smile. 

She's being introduced to everyone and Clint finds himself hanging back. He's not sure how to act, or what to say. But everyone knows his nervousness, and takes it upon themselves to say hello to the sandy blonde headed teen. 

Steve, as always, was first. His giant frame towering over the girl and it was comical the way she had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. "I'm Steve Rogers, nice to meet you." He shakes her hand and she gives a small smile and nod. 

Sam and Rhodey next, her eyes didn't linger on the metal contraptions around Rhodey's legs. Just shook his hand all the same. With Thor off again to Asgard that left Tony and Pepper, the latter giving the girl a big hug and smiling brightly. Making Alexa stumble on her words with the forward kind act. 

Chuckling to himself Clint watched in amusement as the twins suddenly appeared beside her. Pietro touching her hair, her bag, tugging on the strings of her jacket like the child he was. Her eyes incredibly wide at how fast he moved around her. Wanda smiling and apologizing for her brother, somehow getting a smack to the back of his head while he whirled around. 

"Come on, let's get you settled." Clint came up to her side, hand gentle on her upper back and she looks so relieved in that moment to get away from the excitement. 

Everyone uttered a goodbye and went back to what they had been doing earlier while Clint led her back to the elevator. Once inside he chuckled as she sighed and leaned against the stainless steel railing inside. 

"They're a lot to take in at once." He smiled as she nods in agreement. 

"How does..?"

"Pietro move so fast?" She nods. "That's a bit of a long story, one he should tell you. But you could call him 'enhanced'. Wanda and Steve? They're both enhanced as well."

"How...?" She starts and he can tell by the confused glint in her eye, there's a slew of questions waiting to be asked. 

"How about we get settled and have dinner, I'll answer any questions I can okay?" She gives him a small smile and nods. "Come on, just down here."

"The left side is Natasha and myself. The right is Pietro, Wanda and then you." He shows her how to lay her palm on the scanner, her prints now in the database, to unlock her room.

Her eyes wide as she walked slowly into the room. Well rooms. There's a sitting room, a small kitchenette, a large bathroom and a bedroom. To those who lived in the tower it was just right. To those from the outside it was a hotel suite. To Alexa, it was a castle. 

"This... Is mine?" Her voice is barely above a surprised whisper and he nods. 

"It's all yours, kitchen should be stocked. Need or want anything special ask the AI and he'll have it sent up. Water pressure is great and there's no end to the hot water. The wifi is the fastest on the planet."

He watches as she sets her rumpled bag on the soft leather couch and looks around in a circle. "Whoa."

"It's all yours kiddo, anything else you just ask." He smiles at her, sees it mirrored on her face. Pain in his chest just looking at her, how beautiful she is and how much he's missed. He's gonna change that.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guys I totally forgot about this fic somehow.... Adding more!!!

9

Everyone’s staring. There’s no way they couldn’t. It’s just, extraordinary. None of them really wanted to crowd the newest teen but, the twins had followed Clint and Alexa down to the gym. Then Pietro had sped through every floor, shouting that the team needed to see this. What they found astounded them. 

Clint, they were used to seeing on the ropes and high bars. He’d sometimes practice above the rest of them, in the rafters where he was the only one who could accomplish the feats in the air. Instead, there’s a petite teen with chestnut blond hair. And she was quite literally, flying. 

“Holy shit.” Sam whistles low as they all watched Alexa swing herself into some sort of somersault in the air and then spread her arms and Clint catch her, only to swing her toward the next hanging pole on two ropes. She was spinning and flipping, throwing herself back and forth as if she wasn’t almost fifty feet on the air. With no net beneath her. 

Natasha watched with a critical eye, a tiny smirk on her lips as Clint grabbed Alexa’s hands the next time she swing toward him in the air, and the two of them slid down ropes to land back on the padded floor of the gym. A round of applause rang out, Alexa blushed but bowed at the waist with her arms spread wide at her sides. 

“You know...” Sam was about to suggest what most of the team was thinking. 

“Hell no.” Clint’s voice rang out harshly and he pointed a finger at Sam and any of them with a look of mock shock on their faces. “She is not, under any circumstance, going to train, be on a team or part of this in any way shape or form.” 

Alexa, confused and still panting softly, tucked her loose hair behind her ears as she chewed on her lip. Natasha came up to her side and wrapped a gentle arm over the teens shoulder. “That was so good Alexa. I’m impressed at your skill.”

The blonde smiles kindly. “Thank you, my mother taught me. She was... incredible.” A sad look overcame Alexa’s and she excused herself before darting out of the gym. Her wrapped feet making a soft slap sound as she ran from the room. Clint sighed softly and pinched the bridge of his nose, he gave Natasha a small smile and went to leave himself. 

“She is hurting, so much.” Wanda spoke softly, her feet taking her toward where Clint and Alexa had vanished as well. 

“Man, we need to recruit from the circus...” Sam whispered loudly and got a look of disappointment from Steve with a raised eyebrow. “What? Makes sense!”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are Love
> 
> Comments are life


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